Life and Death: Destiny Awaits
by faery pink sparkle
Summary: (Sequel to Life and Death: Yours Everlsating) The transformation is nearly complete and Eran must be stopped... but how? With everything out in the open, destiny will bring all things to a close.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own SSO. The only thing that is mine is the storyline, and some fictional characters I created for the purpose of telling my story (i.e: Jeremy and a few others you will eventually meet).

**Author's Note:** It has been a very long time since I have uploaded anything on (possibly 5 years or so). I am still getting used to the new format and I am still getting back into my writing groove, so please bear with me. I wanted to say a very very grateful thank you to those who have followed Life and Death: Yours Everlasting, and those who have reviewed that story. Even after I stopped writing, I still received followers and reviews that gave me a boost of motivation to keep writing, but it never lasted long enough for me to act on it. The latest review I received for Life and Death was from satomika. A special thank you to her because it was after reading her review that I felt inspired enough to go through my old work and start writing again (But of course, everyone helped too!). I am typing it up in Word and just copy-n-pasting it in, so I am hoping that it uploads the way I want it to. I remember from when I used to use that whenever I wanted to type a question that was also an exclamation, it automatically deleted the question mark (So instead of it being ? and ! together, it was just ! on its own. If that makes sense..). Anyway, I hope you will continue to follow my story. Please read and review :)

**Prologue**

The lake shimmered in the pale moonlight and the ebony sky was littered with twinkling stars, but as beautiful as it was, an ominous chill filled the air that night, and it seemed to touch them to their cores.  
"Eran, be reasonable," the dark haired man urged his younger brother.  
"I'm being unreasonable?" Eran sneered, and his dark emerald eyes narrowed dangerously, "Is this why you asked me to come here? So you can lecture me some more, brother? I take it that you and Cela have refused my offer to join me. How can you and everyone else in this realm tolerate such a lowly existence? "  
"To conquer the Earth and eliminate a race in its entirety is contemptible," a woman stated, her golden tresses blowing in the cold breeze, "Are you ready and willing to face the consequences of such an act?"  
"Do you not think you are superior to humans, Cela? Ryn?" Eran questioned the two before him, ignoring the question he was asked.  
Cela's golden head tilted to one side in contemplation. "I know that in some ways I am," she admitted in acknowledgement, "But that is because I have powers that most of them do not. You forget that they have knowledge of magic in that world also – they have sorcerers that will not go down without a fight."  
"Their parlour tricks are no match for a Heavenly Being," Eran laughed at the notion.  
"Enough, both of you," Ryn snapped at them in a hard tone as his dark auburn eyes flashed with near intolerance. "Eran, I have tried to reason with you before," Ryn took a step toward his brother, forcing his sibling to take a step back and continued to do so until Eran was only two feet away from an old weeping willow by the lake, its long tendrils surrounding them like a curtain. Eran noticed that he was being pushed into a corner and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "We had thought that these foolish whims of yours would come to pass, but we were mistaken," Ryn continued gravely, "We have come to realize that you pose a threat to the peace we desire and we cannot let your ideas come to fruition." As he was speaking, Cela had made her way over to the brothers and was now standing at Ryn's right hand.  
Eran felt acid rise in his throat when he saw the raw compassion in her cerulean eyes, which he immediately translated into pity. He turned back to face his brother, "What are you going to do? I am your brother and I know you, Ryn, you cannot hurt me."  
Ryn's dark eyes softened at this, "You are right."  
Eran smirked at this and took a step forward, ready to leave this place.  
Cela stepped between the two. "I'm afraid I cannot let you leave, Eran," she closed the gap between them and touched the side of his face gently, her way of saying goodbye to her dear friend.  
Eran held the hand at his face, "Come with me Cela."  
Cela shook her head sadly, "I'm sorry that it has to be this way."  
"As am I," Eran agreed, anger quickly filling his core as he grabbed the hand at his face. Cela did not flinch when he squeezed tightly and placed his other hand above her heart, ready to attack. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. As he faltered, Cela began her incantation.  
"By the grace of the Moon," she started in a gentle voice, and the moon seemed to shine just that little bit brighter, as if to say it was lending her its powers.  
"By the life of this Tree," Cela continued and the tendrils of the tree quickly came forth in response to her call, wrapping themselves around Eran's wrists, torso and ankles. He made no struggle against them, and this surprised his two captors. "And by the Powers flowing through our veins," she said as Ryn stood beside her, holding Cela's hand gently in his, letting his powers flow through to her. "I bind thee to this Tree for an eternity."  
The weeping willow seemed to pulsate at this as it pulled Eran into itself. He glared at the two before him, feeling the powers of the spell encase him, knowing he did not have much time left before the spell was completed.  
"Do not think that this tree will hold me forever," he warned them, "I will find a way, and when I do, the destruction I will unleash will be threefold for what you have done this day. You will deeply regret not joining me."  
"I am sorry, brother," Ryn replied with a sadness in his voice, "I hereby banish thee to an eternal sleep. May our mercy not be in vain. And may we all, humans and Heavenly Beings alike, live to the end of our existences."  
Eran's body had disappeared into the tree and his head was slowly being encased in wood. Cela could not bear to watch it any longer, she looked away as tears sprung into her eyes. She knew this had to be done, but it would not ease the guilt she felt at losing her friend this way.  
"So be it," Eran said, and silence followed. A soft breeze swept through their surroundings, which only highlighted the silence until it was deafening.  
Ryn placed a hand on her shoulder gently, "It is done."  
Cela lifted her fair head and glanced around them. It was as if nothing had happened – the moon and the stars still shone brightly overhead, the lake still glistened in the light and ripples in the water could be seen, the tree still stood mightily in front of them, looking like a guardian of the lake, but at the same time, a safe haven for those sheltered by its many strands of leaves, which faintly rustled in the breeze.  
"I'm sorry to ask that of you, Cela," Ryn began slowly and pulled her into a tender embrace, "But without your help, and the added powers of the moon, I could not have contained him on my own."  
Cela nodded understandingly into his shoulder. "Do you really think he will find a way to break the spell?" she asked and looked up at her partner.  
"Only time will tell," Ryn replied grimly.  
The two Heavenly Beings looked to the tree, and they knew that no matter how near or far into the future Eran's return would be, they had to prepare themselves and everyone else for when that time came.


	2. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: I do not own SSO. Please refer to Prologue for a more detailed disclaimer. **

**Author's Note: **I seem to be on a roll with this whole writing thing, and I'm hoping the content is just as good as it used to be, if not better :) I have uploaded pretty soon after the Prologue so that there's a bit more of the story to read. Chapter two will take a bit longer though, so please be patient, and hopefully I can have that up within the next week or two. In advance, I would like to thank my readers/reviewers. Enjoy!

**Chapter One:**

After Cleao Everalsting woke up in her own bed that day, she had crept into Orphen's room to check up on him. She could hear everyone else downstairs and tried to keep her footsteps stealthy, not wanting to bring attention to herself just yet. Especially since she didn't think she had the energy to deal with their happiness at her recovery and also all the questions she knew they would throw her way – not that she knew herself what exactly was happening.

When she reached the door, her nerves decided to kick in and the butterflies in her stomach started doing somersaults. What did she have to be nervous about? She was just checking to make sure that her partner was in one piece. But she knew that the current status of her relationship with Orphen was sort of in the air at that stage, and they had a lot to talk about – not something she was really looking forward to. As fiery as she could be, the thought of talking to Orphen about their feelings for each other made her stomach churn – mostly because being with him was something she had desired for so long, and to finally have it in her reach, it just seemed too good to be true.

_Deep breaths,_ Cleao thought as she sucked in some air and exhaled as deeply and quietly as she could. It only calmed her nerves a fraction, but that was enough to get her to open the door. She didn't know if it was the events of the past few days or the stress she was putting herself through by overthinking things, but she was getting tired fast. She pushed the door open slowly and tiptoed inside. Making sure not to let the door creak as she closed it behind her, she made her way soundlessly into the room. Her lips formed a soft smile. Just as she had thought, Oprhen was still sound asleep. She lowered herself down into the armchair by the bed, glad to be off her feet and have something support her tired body. It didn't take long for her to lose herself in her thoughts, but she looked at Orphen just in time to see him stir in his sleep.

"Orphen?" she whispered his name as she went to stand by the bed, and bent in close to try and rouse him from his sleep. She gazed at him expectantly and was about to call his name again, but he gradually opened his auburn eyes. She watched as his eyes adjusted to the light of the room. Orphen then noticed Cleao's face a few inches from his own.

"Aah!" he exclaimed, making Cleao squeal in fright as she jumped back. Orphen cursed under his breath as he sat himself up in bed.

"What's wrong, Orphen? Are you ok?" Cleao asked in worry.

"Not if I wake up to your face," he muttered.

"Excuse me?!" Cleao asked indignantly.

The sight of Cleao brought a faint smile to the sorcerer's lips. Seeing her standing there eased his heart. _I'm glad you're ok_, he thought in relief.

Cleao's anger slowly subsided as she gazed at Orphen's face - the look in his eyes were puzzling and was that a smile that touched his rugged features?

"You better start apologizing," she told him sternly.

"What the hell for?! I didn't do anything wrong," Orphen defended with a smirk.

"Oh, is that right?"

"That's right."

Cleao's blood began to boil, "You _selfish_, _ungrateful_, _self-centred_, _good for nothing_ sorcerer! To think that I was actually glad to see you alive! I want you out of my house right now! Get out!"

"I'm wounded. I can't move," Orphen informed the fiery blonde, amused at how easily she was getting worked up.

"I don't care if you're injured or dead! Get out!"

"No," he replied flatly, reclining himself back against the pillows.

Cleao grumbled in frustration as she glared at Orphen with murderous eyes. Orphen stared right back. _Where's Leki when you need him? _

She was ready to slap the smirk right off his face, but it finally sunk in that she was interacting with Orphen how they normally do, and the relief she felt was overwhelming. She quickly sat herself down again, contentment filled her and she instantly forgot that she was angry at him.

"Are you ok, Cleao?" It was Orphen's turn to be worried.

"Yeah, I think my energy levels aren't really back to normal yet," she gave him a small smile. "Lucky for you," she added with a poke of her tongue.

Orphen couldn't help but grin at her, "I'm really glad you're back Cleao."

Her azure eyes widened slightly at this, but she tried to hide it with a quick smile back, "Thanks, it's good to be back."

A silence fell over the pair, but it was hard to decipher if it was an uncomfortable silence or not. It seemed to be walking the line at this point.

Cleao settled back into the armchair and turned her gaze towards the window. It was a beautiful day out – a bright sun smiling down on them and practically clear blue skies with a few wisps of clouds that looked like strung out fairy floss.

Orphen watched her for a moment and settled his gaze on the roof of the four poster bed he was in. He wasn't sure what to do or say next. Was it too soon to talk about them? Would it be too late if her didn't say anything to her now? He desperately wanted to clear things between them. Cleao had been hurt so badly and he wanted to make things right. If he hadn't been sleeping for however long he was out for, he would have asked someone for advice about this. _Hartia? Nah, I don't think I could trust his relationship advice.._ Orphen thought to himself, _Definitely not Majic OR Azalie.. Maybe Mariabella.. Yeah…_

"Orphen?" Cleao said a second time and he finally snapped out of his daze to look at her, "You're spacing out."

"Yeah, just thinking about things.."

Cleao nodded her understanding, especially since she was doing exactly the same thing. There were so many things she wanted to say to him, to make clear, but it didn't seem that now was the time… She inhaled deeply and prepared to be mature about the situation she was facing.

"We have a lot to talk about," she began slowly and felt her cheeks flush crimson thinking of how silly she probably sounded to him, "And I know I can be quick to say things I don't necessarily mean.. and I have a quick temper too…"

Orphen was a little surprised at this, but at the same time he was glad that one of them had started the conversation that needed to be had.

"So I think it would be best if we spent some time thinking about what we want.. Because even if we don't want the same thing, I don't want to lose what we already have.." she trailed off in an uncertain voice.

Orphen knew that his feelings hadn't changed for her, he still wanted to be with her and he wanted to be there for her. But he didn't want to push her away again if she wasn't ready to talk yet. "Ok," he agreed simply, "We can have a talk later."

Cleao smiled, happy to not have been rejected outright. "Ok, well then we'll talk later. Maybe tonight?" she ventured cautiously. Was that too soon? She knew that she probably wouldn't think of anything else until they had that inevitable talk.

"Tonight," Orphen concurred with a quick nod of his tousled head.

And just to make sure that no awkward silence would befall them, their stomachs growled in unison. Cleao blushed red once more and Orphen rubbed his hungry spot.

"Guess we better head down there, have something to eat and face the music," he sighed heavily, wishing they didn't have Jeremy to worry about anymore.

Cleao groaned as she got up from the chair with a swish of the sapphire coloured summer dress she had hastily put on that morning, "I'm definitely not looking forward to answering questions about what happened." She made her way back to the door, "I'll see you down there."

"See you there," Orphen replied as he got out of bed and ruffled his hair with a hand. Cleao let herself out quietly, leaving Orphen to get ready for the day ahead.

"Oh, I think Cleao just left the room," Mariabella observed when they heard the door close upstairs. "They were awfully quiet for some time there," she added as she sipped her tea and placed the cup and saucer back onto the table.

The living room was filled with many anxious people, all wanting to see both Cleao and Orphen. It had been three days since the incident with Jeremy, and nothing had happened since. They did not hear a peep out of the renegade sorcerer that had turned their lives upside down. And after a quick trip to the Tower of Fang, Hartia and Azalie reported that Lai hadn't seen anything either.

"Do you think they had THE talk?" Majic asked in genuine curiosity, hoping all had gone well for his friends. Leki had curled up on the floor beside him and had fallen asleep as they waited for the two to come down.

"I don't know, " Hartia replied thoughtfully, "It's hard to imagine Krylancelo having a deep and meaningful conversation with a woman he has feelings for."

Majic nodded his blonde head in agreement, "Maybe Master said something to screw it up again."

"Yes, he is quite talented at that, isn't he?" Hartia smirked, causing Majic to laugh and Mariabella to let out a little giggle.

"Krylancelo has had many serious talks with me before, so he is quite capable in that department," Azalie defended her brother like the dutiful sister she was.

Hartia waved a hand dismissively at the sorceress and shook his red head in disagreement, "You're his sister, Azalie. That doesn't count."

Azalie hmphed at Hartia and turned to Tistiny Everlasting to to continue her conversation with the experienced mother about how best to toilet train a toddler.

"I wonder if I should go check on her…" Mariabella thought aloud as concern passed over her face.

"It should be ok," Hartia replied, "They've been asleep for some time, no doubt they'll both be needing some food to replenish their energy."

At that moment, they heard a door open and close and heavy footsteps headed their way. It wasn't long til they saw Orphen at the entrance of the living room.

"Hey guys," he greeted them indifferently and leaned against the door frame in his usual manner.

Tistiny excused herself from her conversation with Azalie and stood up to make her way to the kitchen to prepare some food.

Orphen stepped aside for her, but she stopped beside him and placed a motherly hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you for bringing her back to us," she said gratefully and left the group to get some food ready for them.

Orphen turned to his friends who all seemed eager to greet him and talk. "So what's been happening while I've been dead to the world?" he asked as he made his way to the sofa beside Hartia. Suddenly, their faces turned serious.

The Gifted One turned to The red-headed sorcerer beside him, "Too soon?"

Hartia nodded, "Much too soon." But he cracked a smile anyway.

"How are you feeling, Krylancelo?" Azalie's voice filled with concern. When Orphen looked at his sister, he could see the toll the recent events had taken on her. The wrinkles around her eyes were more pronounced and the bags under them were much darker than he remembered them to be. He heard the strain in her voice when she spoke to him, and he knew she wanted to look him over thoroughly like she used to when they were children.

"I'm alright," he answered truthfully, "A little tired physically and magically, but a few more days of rest should fix me up." He paused briefly, "Hungry too."

"Will Cleao be down shortly?" Mariabella inquired in a soft voice.

Orphen glanced up at the ceiling, as if Cleao were standing just above them, "She should be. She said she'd see us down here, so she shouldn't be too much longer."

"Cleao always takes forever to get ready anyway," Majic added, speaking from experience.

They all turned to the living room entrance when they heard footsteps coming their way.

Cleao's golden head popped in as she had a quick peek inside. The rest of her followed and when she was inside she beamed at everyone. It really did warm her heart to see everyone there. Azalie, not so much, but that was an existence she just had to tolerate.

"Welcome home," Mariabella went to greet her sister with a big hug, something Cleao welcomed wholeheartedly.

"It's good to be home, sis," she hugged back. "Where's mother?"

"She's gone to prepare food," Mariabella answered as she pulled away, "You and Orphen must be famished."

"Definitely!" Cleao agreed as she made her way to her little cub. "Thanks for looking after him," she said to Majic as she knelt beside them. Cleao ran her hand gently through Leki's fur and the pup slowly opened his eyes. When he realized that it was Cleao in front of him, he was quick on his feet. Cleao was ecstatic to be back, and it was obvious that the Wolven cub felt the same – everyone watched as Leki jumped into Cleao's lap to give her puppy kisses.

Mariabella smiled at her sister briefly then looked to everyone else, "Shall we head to the dining room then? I'm sure Mother will be bringing out food for us as well."

"Good idea," Hartia agreed and stood to lead the way out.

"And once everyone has eaten," Azalie began as she also made her way out, "we can discuss a few important matters."

Cleao rolled her eyes as she waited for everyone to file out of the room. "We can never get a break, can we Leki?" she spoke to her companion, picking him up in her arms as she followed the others. Leki barked happily in her arms and nuzzled his snout into her neck. "That tickles!" she giggled and tried to stop Leki from doing it again, though he took it as an invitation to play and continued to give Cleao attention.

"Hurry up slow-poke!" Orphen called out to her from further up the hallway, "If you don't hurry, Majic and Hartia will eat all the food!"

Cleao quickened her step, "Coming!"

Tistiny had prepared a simple meal of bread, a selection of cheeses and fresh fruit. It was certainly a modest meal, but filling and just as delicious as any feast would have been. Or maybe Cleao was just hungry. She had heard once that hunger did make food taste better.

As soon as they had had their meals, the happy atmosphere quickly turned dark and serious. But at least now they were fed and had a bit more energy, both Orphen and Cleao would be able to concentrate better.

"What do you recall of the night?" Azalie turned her violet head to look at Cleao as she questioned her. The interrogation had begun.

Cleao played with a lock of her golden hair as she thought this through. "Well…" she started, "I was at the Ruins of Kohan. I had just finished speaking to Her and had made my decision. I was –"

"Who is 'Her'? The Angel of Life and Death?" Azalie interrupted Cleao.

Cleao frowned noticeably. It was hard enough having to recall the events of that night, not because she couldn't remember, but because she _could_. She was lucky not to have nightmares of Orphen's death, so it worried her when she had to think about it too much. "I don't know," the blonde admitted, "She's never introduced herself to me properly. I met her once in a dream and ever since that night, she speaks to me sometimes." And as an afterthought she added, "It's comforting but a little bit creepy too."

**Creepy,** a melodic voice laughed in her head, **I've never been called that before. It's quite refreshing.**

Cleao practically jumped out of her seat, and Orphen followed suit.

"Are you ok?" he asked, worry coming easier than he liked.

Cleao sighed in exasperation and sat herself down again. "Don't do that!" she scolded Her and received another gentle laugh in return.

**I'm glad to see you're back in high spirits, Cleao. **

Cleao turned to the others to explain, "She's here. So maybe we can all get some answers."

"'Here' where?" Hartia asked as he looked around the room, but saw nothing. Not even an apparition.

"In my head," Cleao replied and made a face at how silly that actually sounded.

"How strange," Mariabella said in wonder as she stared at her sister. Not having seen The Angel of Life and Death herself, it was a bit harder to imagine without thinking that the voice was a side effect from what Jeremy had done to Cleao.

"Is it a spell?" Majic inquired like a serious student of magic.

**Perhaps it would be easier if I joined you, Cleao?**

"Go right ahead," Cleao consented, "It will probably be easier right?"

"This is feeling a little ridiculous, listening to one side of the conversation," Azalie muttered in slight annoyance, especially since they weren't really getting anywhere answer-wise.

Cleao suddenly felt warm and tingly inside and she felt Her enter her body. It was like being taken over, without losing control of her mind or body. But Cleao was more than happy to take a backseat in this conversation.

"It is an ability, not a spell, Majic Lin," She spoke through Cleao.

"Do you have a name?" Orphen asked the newcomer, feeling a little strange directing his question at Cleao.

"I'm sorry, I seem to have left my manners behind in the Heavens. My name is Cela Lightwood."

"A Heavenly Being," Azalie said with a bit more respect.

"How are you and Cleao connected? How did you reach her? Why did you reach her? And what's your involvement with Eran and Jeremy?" Orphen asked all his questions at once.

Cela ignored Orphen completely. "You look just like Ryn," she said fondly and gave him a small smile.

Orphen was taken aback at this. He still couldn't grasp the idea that he was descended from a Heavenly Being and that Jeremy was too, making them related in some twisted way.

"Even though I am a Heavenly Being, being between worlds, here in Cleao's body is quite taxing, so I will answer as much as I can before I will have to revert back to speaking only to Cleao," Cela explained as she got back on topic. "While you are descended from Ryn and Jeraine from Eran, Cleao is of my essence. Because of this connection and my powers, it was easy for me to communicate with her."

"Why not sooner? Why is it only now that we are hearing of this prophecy of Eran's return?" Azalie asked.

"Because everything happens for a reason. And it was not needed for me to speak to Cleao any sooner. When Ryn and I sealed Eran away to stop him from coming here to Earth to wreak havoc, he warned us that he would not be imprisoned forever and that he would find a way to free himself. He told us that we would regret betraying him that night."

"How do we stop Eran from returning?" Hartia asked the all important question.

"His return cannot be stopped. His freedom is drawing closer and even I cannot stop it, or I would have done so already."

"What do you mean it can't be stopped?!" Orphen asked incredulously.

"Exactly that, Krylancelo. The seal is being broken from within, which can only mean that Eran has found a source of power. I believe that source to be Jeraine, though I have not quite figured out how he is doing it. The only way Eran can be stopped is once he is free. He will not be as powerful as he once was, he will need to recuperate his powers."

"If we can't stop his return, how do we stop _him_?" Orphen demanded of the Heavenly Being.

"Through The Angel of Life and Death," Cela answered simply.

"You will stop him?" Majic asked, slightly confused.

"We should have stopped him that night, not just with a mere binding spell," Cela admitted with a hint of regret in her voice, "We were too bound by our ties with Eran, so now the burden has fallen upon you. I apologise for that."

"If you can stop him, we'll be fine right?" Majic looked to the others for their agreement, and Cleao for her confirmation.

Cleao blinked her azure eyes as if to clear them. Just as easily as Cela had come, she had left just as quick.

**We can continue this another time.**

"Sorry guys," Cleao said with a small shrug, "She's gone for now, but she says she'll be back another time."

Azalie exhaled in exasperation, "At least it wasn't a complete waste."

"We can work with the information we have so far," Hartia said encouragingly.

"If she speaks to you again, try to get more information from her," Azalie said to Cleao as she stood from the table, readying herself to head back to her guest room.

"Please," Cleao added for the sorceress with a snap.

Azalie glared at Cleao briefly before turning away and heading out.

"I swear," Orphen sighed, resigned to the fact that his sister and Cleao were never going to get along even under the best of circumstances, "the drama never ends with you two, does it?"

Cleao gave him a cheeky smile, "Some things are better left unchanged."

Orphen shook his head at her then turned to Majic, "C'mon. I have a feeling you've been slacking off in your studies. Let's get you back up to speed."

Majic grinned at the invitation and was quick to follow Orphen out, but managed to call out a "See you later!" to everyone before leaving.

"Well I guess I better go see if Azalie is planning on returning to the Tower," Hartia said to no one in particular. But then he turned to the girls, "Do you need a hand with tidying up?"

Mariabella shook her head, "We'll be ok."

"I'm sure Volkan and Dortin are lurking around somewhere," Cleao added and turned to her older sister, "We do still employ them right?"

Mariabella nodded and Hartia took that as his cue to leave. "I'll go see if Mother needs a hand with anything. Are you ok to be on your own Cleao?" Mariabella asked while she stacked the dirty plates.

"I've got Leki with me, so I shouldn't get into too much trouble. Plus, I think I'm just going to relax in my room for a while. Lots to think about."

Mariabella gave her younger sister a sidelong glance, "Well if you need to talk to me, just come and find me ok?"

"Sure thing," Cleao nodded, then watched her sister leave with a stack of dirty plates in hand.

Since Orphen was out with Majik, it would probably be a while before they came back, leaving Cleao with plenty of time to mull things over about herself and Orphen.

But if Cela's advice a few days ago was anything to go by, Cleao knew she had already made her decision. All she had to do now was wait for Orphen to make his.

**Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed that chapter, reviews are welcome :)


	3. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: **I do not own SSO. Just my OCs and the storyline for this fic :)

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! Thanks for the reviews so far, it's always nice to know that people enjoy the story! As much as I am excited about continuing this story, I am taking my time with it to make sure I do it right :) I hope you enjoy the next instalment, please R&R!

* * *

**Chapter Two:**

After the night that Cleao had survived with Orphen, Jeremy Verdhel had retreated back to Bandit City, far enough from Totokanta that he was hoping they couldn't track him down too easily.

Things clearly did not go as planned. He sighed as he leaned back against his makeshift bed in a cave he created for himself and had hidden the entrance to with a cloaking spell – enough to deter any travelers passing through. Resting his ebony head against his jacket that he had bundled up to be his pillow, he looked up at the roof of the cave and stared into the crevices of the rock, tracing the cracks with his eyes.

The past three days had been quiet to say the least. Eran hadn't bothered to grace him with His presence, but that was fine – it gave Jeremy time to think things through and regroup.

Magically, he was fine. Emotionally was a different story altogether. He had been prepared to kill the girl he was beginning to fall for – hook, line and nearly sinker. But he had decided that in order to defeat Krylancelo and prove himself to the Tower of Fangs, and to Eran, Cleao was to be collateral damage. More fish in the sea, right? Not that the thought he would fancy another girl like he did her.

What was bothering him the most was that he couldn't definitively say that he regretted the outcome of that night. If Eran were with him, he knew He would call Jeremy a fool. So he kept telling himself that, and he kept reminding himself that Cleao was bound to Orphen in a way he could never fully comprehend or could even break, even if he tried… again.

After he left the Tower of Fangs, he travelled around the continent for over a year learning magic from other sources, always plotting the day he would meet the beloved pupil of Childman, and how he would crush him with his powers that he knew were growing by the day. But as much as he plotted, nothing really ever came of it. He had heard whispers in the streets of a sorcerer travelling with a young boy and girl, and didn't think it could possibly be Krylancelo since he seemed to be the loner type. But when he heard more of this trio and how they were on a journey tracking down the Bloody August monstrosity, he knew that he had found his rival.

Jeremy caught a glimpse of the group once, in Alenhatan. They seemed to have been visiting a friend there, and as much as he wanted to confront Krylancelo, he knew that he was not yet ready for that challenge. So he continued on his own journey, vowing that he would one day meet Krylancelo and face off with him then. On his way out of Alenhatan, he was immediately drawn to a power that he could feel pulsating in the atmosphere, calling to him. He was wary, but followed the vibe until he came upon an excavation site. It was a ruin, so he couldn't really tell if anyone had been there or not. The power he felt was much stronger there, and with his curiosity getting the better of him, he explored the site, secretly hoping to meet someone or find something that could increase his own powers.

Instead he found ancient text written on the cave wall. To say he was disappointed at this discovery was an understatement. He studied it briefly, quickly recognizing it as the ancient runes used by the Heavenly Ones. Thinking that it might actually be useful information, he scribbled it down and tucked his note away to decipher later on, if he could find someone to do so.

It was then that his life changed forever.

**_Here lies Eran, punished to sleep for a thousand years_**_, a voice spoke to him quite clearly. Jeremy spun on his heel and scanned the area before him, yet he saw no one and sensed no one, but the power he felt, which he had assumed was because of the ruin he was in. _

_"Who's there?" he demanded, not liking the feeling of being taken off guard. _

**_A time after the monster has been reborn, the lights will hit the earth and all shall tremble. Then the innocence that once was shall be turned_**_, the voice continued as if Jeremy hadn't spoken at all, __**Blood will be shed and a life it will cost as the battle of two powers will be lost. The Gifted One shall be The Catalyst and The Angel of Life and Death shall be born. **_

_At the mention of The Gifted One, Jeremy couldn't deny that his interest had been drawn out of him. Standing his guard he waited for more. _

**_Life will be taken and life will be restored. And once the transformation is complete, Eran will walk the earth once more. Thus, he will make his power known. His vengeance shall bring pain and destruction. We shall be blessed with Death. So it has been written before time began._**

_"Who are you?" Jeremy repeated._

**_Were you not paying attention? I am Eran and this is my tombstone. Or at least the one those bastards erected on this lowly realm. For some meaningful purpose, I'm sure. _**

_"Is this not a Heavenly Being ruin? If you are who you say you are, why are you still bound to this place?"_

**_It is never that simple, fool. _**

_Jeremy glowered at this. _

**_I have been bound by potent magic. And while I am quite powerful, my abilities have been dormant for quite some time so I cannot escape myself, which is where you come in._**

_"You think I can free you?" Jeremy sounded quite doubtful._

**_You are of my essence, so I see no reason why this would be a problem. _**

_The young sorcerer was taken aback. Was he being fooled by a voice in his head?_

**_You do not have to believe me, Jeraine. But we can help each other, and I can give you the power you so desperately desire. _**

_Jeremy tried to hide the disbelief on his face when Eran spoke his name, after all, he never mentioned it. _

**_The enemy you seek and the enemy I seek are one and the same. Just like you, Krylancelo is descended from a Heavenly Being – my brother, Ryn. _**

_How could he not be convinced at this point?_

_"What do you need me to do?" _

**_It is easier for me to communicate with you like this because of where you are and of the essence we share. For me to be free, I need you to dispose of the one person whose death can weaken this spell further. If Cela loses her connection to this realm, this ruin will cease to exist and a portal will open between your world and mine. _**

_"Who is Cela? Is she the one I'm supposed to kill?"_

**_Cela is of no importance at this stage. The person you must focus your attention on is the woman that Krylancelo travels with. Cleao Everlasting. _**

_Jeremy vaguely recalled her face, but he definitely remembered her golden hair that flowed behind her as she walked away. She seemed like an easy enough target. And it might even give him the upper hand against Krylancelo, if she was of any importance to him. The problem would be getting her away from Krylancelo and that other guy they travelled with in the first place. But he could cross that bridge when he got there, he supposed. _

_"That's it? That's all I need to know?"_

**_For now. _**

Jeremy sighed heavily as he reminisced and settled in for another cold night. _If I knew it was going to be this much trouble, I might not have bothered in the first place_, he thought as he shifted onto his side and closed his eyes. _You better show up tomorrow Eran_, he added silently, deciding a nap was in order. It was already late afternoon and if he ended up sleeping through the night, so be it. Closing his eyes, he waited for sleep to come.

"I see that Eran is no longer with you," an older woman with fading emerald hair greeted Ryn and Cela when they entered the Council room in the north wing of their fortress.

"He has been sealed away," Cela confirmed, unable to mask the sadness that seeped into her voice. Ryn squeezed her hand reassuringly, sharing the feeling of loss. "Where are the rest of the Council members?" Cela asked the Elder politely.

"They have been dismissed for the night."

"You looked troubled, Akai," Ryn observed realizing that she must have seen something.

"That prison will not contain Eran forever," Akai noted, looking at the two with glazed white eyes. No matter how many times she dealt with the Seer and head of The Council, Cela always felt uneasy in her stomach looking into those opaque eyes – she felt as if her soul had been exposed.

"So it's true? Eran's threats are not baseless?" Ryn asked seriously, dread slowly rising. With the temper that Eran had, he could just imagine the destruction that would be unleashed upon them all when he was freed.

"It will be a very long time before we hear from your brother again," Akai replied flatly.

"He will not be happy," Cela noted, "Something has to be done to prevent his return."

"The only way he can be stopped is to face him once he is free," Akai informed them flatly.

"He will most certainly attack the Earth once he is out," Ryn added grimly, "We, ourselves, cannot await his return on Earth. We will need to arm the humans with… guardians, you could say."

"Guardians?" Cela contemplated this idea. Would it possible to have someone watch the humans to make sure they were safe from Eran? "Who will we send?"

Akai stood then, and even though she was getting older, her posture was of one with power – regal almost. "With your powers, you were able to seal him away," she said to them, "And it is with your powers that he will meet his demise. So it has been seen."

"You want us to go to Earth?" Cela's voice rose incredulously. Even Ryn was surprised at this.

"I will send a part of your essence to the Earth, where it will be born into the chosen human it deems fit to wield your powers when the time for Eran to appear drawns near."

The two Heavenly Ones were amazed at the idea Akai had presented to them. Something like this had never been done before.

Skepticism quickly took over Ryn's expression, "How will we know who they are?"

"You will not. It is not necessary for you to, until the time comes. Now go," the Seer dismissed them with a wave of her frail looking hand, "I must gather the Council members and prepare for the task at hand."

Ryn nodded understanding and led his partner out of the Council chambers.

"Pretty good, Majic," the dark haired sorcerer commended his apprentice, "Keep it up, and maybe your barrier will be good enough to stave of a small attack."

"Really, Master?" the blonde haired boy beamed happily, appreciating the praise he was receiving from Orphen – especially since they were few and far between.

"Maybe I'll ask Hartia to throw some attacks at you next week…" Orphen thought aloud as they began to make their way back to the Everlasting mansion. He glanced up at the sky noticing that it was getting darker with the setting sun.

"Next week?!" Majic's spirits dropped and anxiety kicked in, "I don't think my barrier spell will be strong enough by then!"

Orphen shook his head disapprovingly. "Have a bit more confidence, kid. You're learning from the best," the sorcerer half-scolded. "Besides," he added as an afterthought, "Worse comes to worst, I'm sure I can expend a bit of energy and heal whatever wounds you receive from lack of practice."

Majic sighed heavily, mentally preparing himself for the ordeal he'd have to face the following week.

"Now hurry it up," Orphen ordered as he picked up his pace, leaving Majic to trail behind him, "I have things to do and people to see."

Majic perked up at this. "By the way, Master... have you and Cleao made up yet?" he asked cautiously, knowing he was treading on dangerous waters.

The first response he got was just silence. "I don't know yet," Orphen replied slowly and honestly.

The young apprentice decided it would be best to drop the subject. He was sure that things would work out for the best.

As they walked into the mansion, the aroma of a delicious dinner wafted towards them.

"Guess it'll be dinner time soon…" Orphen mumbled to himself.

"Master?" Majic said questioningly, unsure if Orphen had said anything or if he was just hearing things – it had been a long day after all.

Orphen was already heading towards the stairs that would lead him to the bedrooms. "Go see if they need help preparing for dinner," Orphen ordered his apprentice, taking the steps two at a time.

Before Majic could reply, his Master had already disappeared around the corner. He could only assume that Orphen was going to see Cleao.

Cleao could hear the bustling downstairs and knew that her mother was probably in the middle of preparing dinner. Earlier that day, she had spent some time going through her wardrobe, sorting through her clothes to pick and choose the ones that were out of season. It actually took her a bit of time, and when she had gone through all her clothes, she decided that another shopping trip was in order – something that she would have to plan with Mariabella for some sister-bonding time.

After that, Cleao decided to take a bath – a luxury she didn't often get while on the road with Orphen and Majic. She savored every moment of it. She tried not to think too much about everything that had happened to her recently, not wanting to stress out too much. They did, after all, have to face Jeremy again later on if and when he decided to turn up. So instead she zoned out in the bath, so much that after an hour in there, she was starting to fall asleep. Cleao got out of the bath and into a white cotton camisole and headed for bed for a little lie down. She had only gotten up around half an hour ago to see that the sun was starting to set. Gazing out her window, she was looking upon the tree where she first officially met Orphen, having thought that he was peeping at her with binoculars. Cleao wondered if they would still have their talk tonight.

The blonde's attention was quickly averted when there was a soft but firm knock on the door. Completely lost in thought, she didn't even hear her visitor come up to her door.

"Cleao?," she heard Orphen venture uncertainly, she had to admit, it was a little bit refreshing to see this side of him. "It's me," he stated.

Cleao's heart began to beat faster in her chest, realizing that he had actually kept his promise and was here to talk. "Just a m-minute," she called out, cursing herself inwardly when she heard her voice falter at her own nervousness. She quickly went to her dresser and pulled her sky blue robe off the back of the chair, then slipped herself into its welcomed warmth and cover.

She treaded softly to her door and opened it slowly to see Orphen waiting patiently. He gave her a crooked smile and ran his hand through his ruffled hair. Cleao's heart seemed to go into overdrive and she felt her cheeks flush – she hoped that Orphen couldn't hear her heart beating against her chest.

She quickly looked away so he wouldn't see her embarrassment, "Come in." Cleao led the way into her bedroom and sat gingerly on the edge of her bed.

Orphen stood around awkwardly for a time, not sure where to go, but decided to sit himself down on the chair by the bed.

"How was training with Majic?" she asked, getting the small-talk out of the way.

"He's improving, which is good. At least, now, we can show Bagup some results so he won't stop the paychecks."

Cleao gave a small laugh, "I thought he paid you in ice-cream floats?"

"I'm sure he'd be happy to, it'd definitely be cheaper," Orphen replied, "Did you do much today?

Cleao shook her blonde head, "Not really. Just spent the day at home and rested."

"That's good," Orphen nodded approvingly – they all definitely needed a good rest after the ordeal they'd been through.

_Better get it over and done with then_, Cleao thought and braced herself for the conversation she was about to start.

"Thanks for coming, Orphen," she started and gave him a small smile to show that she meant it.

Orphen was about to reply, but she held up a slender hand to silence him.

"I think I should just say what I need to say before I lose my nerve," Cleao explained. When Orphen didn't say anything, she continued, "I'm sorry for the pain I caused you, and I know I did. But I was hurting, and confused. I love you, Orphen, whether you want me to or not – it's not something I can help. When I heard you say that you didn't love me, it was really hard to hear and it tore me up inside." Cleao got up and started to pace, "I know you told me that you do love me, and when you said it, I really wanted to believe you. But I thought to myself, what if he's only saying that so that I'll go back to him for the convenience of not having to deal with the person that Jeremy had changed me into? I think Eran was trying to convince me that you were lying, but I'd be lying myself if I said that I trusted you then." She looked at Orphen with sad blue eyes. "If you don't want to be with me the way that I want to be with you, I'll understand. Completely. I know I can be brat, selfish and hard to deal with. So if you think things have changed so much between us that you'd prefer not to have me travel with you and Majic anymore, then I'll completely understand that too. But if you'll still have me, then I promise I'll try to be a good girl – I won't complain so much, and I'll try to listen to what you say, and I'll try to keep out of trouble so I won't be a burden on you anymore.. but I really do want to stay by your –"

Cleao was abruptly interrupted when Orphen came up to her and stopped her in her tracks by grasping her gently by the shoulders.

"Stop ranting Cleao," Orphen ordered her in a soft voice – not a tone he had used often during their time together. She blinked her azure orbs at him like a deer caught in headlights, not sure what he was about to do or say. It amazed Orphen at how quiet Cleao was capable of being.

He chuckled to himself and saw a scowl form on Cleao's features. Then Orphen got serious. "Cleao," he said in a gentle but serious voice, "What I said to you that day, I meant every word of it." Orphen held her gaze in his and continued, "Yes, you're a brat and you make life practically a living hell for me…" Cleao's scowl deepened, so Orphen hurried to get to the good parts, "But I think you bring out a better me.." Orphen stumbled to find the right words for what he was trying to say, "What I mean is, I want to be a better person when I'm with you. I couldn't imagine not having you by my side, you've become such an important person to me. And when you were taken away, I realized that… I love you and I don't want to lose you."

Cleao's features softened as his words sunk in, her scowl disappearing. Replacing it was a mischievous smirk. "I think the amount of feelings you've just expressed has filled your quota for the next two years," she teased lightly.

"Cleao!" Orphen said her name exasperatedly and released her shoulders.

"Wait," Cleao replied and caught his hand in her own. They looked down at their connection briefly. Orphen looked at her, not sure what to think anymore, since her reaction was not what he was expecting.

In one smooth movement, Cleao closed the gap between herself and Orphen, got up onto her tiptoes, and did something she had dreamed of doing for so long.

Cleao's soft lips met Orphen's and they both seemed to feel an electric current go through them. She felt Orphen's hand cup the back of her head as he pulled her in deeper. She welcomed it hungrily, surprised at the lust building up inside her. His touch sent tingles up her spine, and all she wanted was to melt into him. She felt Orphen's grip on her tighten, like he couldn't get enough. It made her dizzy. And as much as she wanted to keep going, she needed to come up for air or she'd be overwhelmed. Cleao was the first to pull away. She knew her face was flushed red, but she didn't care. Still in Orphen's arms, she thought she had seen a brief look of disappointment cross his face when she had pulled away.

Cleao exhaled slowly, trying to catch her breath.

"That good, huh?" Orphen smirked at her.

Still in a daze, Cleao let that one slide and gently laid her head on his shoulder.

Having Cleao in his arms this way felt good to him. As if she completed a part of him he hadn't known was incomplete to begin with.

"So about that quota," Orphen began, a tone of mischief in his voice, "I'd say I've filled about 3 years worth."

"I'm not going to let you ruin this moment for me, Orphen. One profession of love is good enough," she informed him lightly, and he felt himself grin.

"Is that right?" he asked doubtfully, with a playful smirk on his face.

She looked up at her partner and gave him a thoughtful look. "For now," she nodded with smile of her own. Cleao leaned back into him, knowing all too well how important it was to savour the time they had together, unsure of how long it would last.

* * *

**Author's Note:** How was the chapter? I didn't want it to get too long, but a backstory is always nice, I think :) Please R&R (and please don't be too harsh on me :P)


	4. Chapter Three

**Author's Note:** Hi guys :) Thanks for the support so far. This new chapter was a little bit delayed, but hopefully you enjoy it.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own SSO. Only my original characters.

* * *

**Chapter Three:**

After they had all eaten dinner, Azalie had called for a meeting in the living room to discuss matters before she headed back to the Tower of Fangs to report the latest developments. Tistiny and Mariabella decided to leave the group to it, and were cleaning up after everyone.

"Going by the information we have so far, the only way we know of to defeat Eran is through the Angel of Life and Death," Hartia was summing up.

"And one of our biggest sources of information right now is Cela," Oprhen added and glanced at Cleao who was sitting opposite him and was busy stroking Leki's fur.

"Not really a reliable source, if you ask me," Azalie muttered under her breath.

"Didn't hear anyone ask you," Cleao replied flatly, not even bothering to look up from the Wolven cub sitting in her lap. Azalie glared at the blonde, but quickly gave up knowing it was wasted when the younger girl wasn't looking.

"So what's the next step then?" Majic asked them all from his place beside his Master.

"Azalie and I will go back to the Tower of Fangs to speak to the Elders once more, and try find some information through Lai and the archives," Hartia replied, on the ball with decision making today.

"And we'll track down Jeremy. Try and get some info out of him if we can, otherwise we'll just have to stop him," Orphen answered seriously.

"Cela and I will get some talking done too," Cleao chipped in, "It's easier for me to talk with her than trying to get everyone in on the conversation."

"Good," Orphen said approvingly, "We're going to need all the help we can get, so we might go back to Alenhatan and see Steph as well."

"I don't want to have to wait until Eran is set free before we can do anything, so if Jeremy can be stopped, we should take that opportunity. But be careful, Krylancelo," Azalie warned her brother, "You're strong, but he is as well. I will try to be back as soon as I can to help you."

"Well hopefully it doesn't come to that," Orphen answered, and tried to give his sister a reassuring smile.

"I have an idea," Cleao announced as she looked up from Leki, who had fallen into a peaceful sleep.

"This should be good," Azalie smirked and settled into her seat, ready to be entertained.

Cleao ignored the sorceress and continued, "_I'll_ speak to Jeremy."

"Absolutely not!" Orphen shutdown Cleao's suggestion instantly.

"Good idea!" Azalie responded the same time.

Orphen whirled on his sister, "How is that possibly a good idea?!"

"She can be _bait_," Azalie explained as if she couldn't understand why Orphen wasn't getting it.

"That wasn't exactly what I was thinking…" Cleao interjected.

"No, Cleao," Orphen replied in his most deadly serious tone, "I only just got you back, I am not putting you in danger like that."

Cleao flushed red, and although the others were a bit surprised they made sure not to show it. The blonde looked to Hartia for help. The red-headed sorcerer gave her an uncertain look in return, but couldn't say no to the pleading in Cleao's azure eyes.

"Krylancelo…" Hartia started.

"No, Hartia," Orphen cut him off, "Don't encourage her dangerous idea."

"Just hear me out," Hartia said and put his hands up, to imply that if Orphen still said no after his explanation, then he would drop the subject.

Orphen understood the gesture and let Hartia continue, "Fine."

"Whether we like to admit this or not, Cleao is actually quite a strong connection to Jeremy. You know as well as I do, that even though Cleao is no longer possessed by Jeremy's power, there is still a sliver of the link that they previously shared. Something like that doesn't go away so easily. "

Orphen scowled deeply at the mention of this, and Cleao burned a deeper red.

"If you want to avoid violence at this stage, then Cleao's idea is probably the way to go." Hartia continued diplomatically, "And I know that I'm not an expert in relationships, but I could certainly tell that Jeremy had a genuine interest in Cleao. If anyone can get through to him, it will be her."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better about the whole thing?" Orphen asked with exaggerated sarcasm.

"No it's not," Azalie snapped in a business-like tone, "This isn't a matter of the heart, Krylancelo, so don't think with yours."

Orphen's auburn eyes flashed dangerously at this, "Really Azalie? You're so willing to put Cleao in harm's way, when only a few minutes ago you were telling me to be careful knowing the kind of power that Jeremy has. I know you don't like Cleao very much, you never have, but I thought you were better than that."

Azalie was quick to snap her mouth shut, knowing that there was truth in what Orphen had said.

Cleao quickly brushed away the tears that had sprung to her eyes with Orphen's little outburst and called for his attention, "Orphen."

He looked to Cleao and his eyes were quick to soften at the sight of her.

"I know I can do this," Cleao said firmly, "It'll be easier to get Jeremy to talk to me, than it will be if you corner him."

"That may be true, Cleao, but-"

"I know you're worried about my safety, but Cela will be with me and I know she'll help me if I need it," Cleao tried to reassure him, and continued, "I want to help, and this is one way I can. If I can't get through to him, then we'll do it your way."

Orphen sighed heavily. He knew Cleao very well. Whether he gave her his blessing or not, she was going to do it anyway. And it would probably be better if she did it with his permission so he could at least find a way to protect her, rather than not knowing when she was going to go and find trouble for herself.

"Give me tonight to think about it ok?" Orphen asked of his partner.

Cleao quickly nodded, knowing it was the best possible answer right now.

"Well if that's everything, then we better head off," Azalie said and stood up with a languid stretch of her slender body.

"So soon?" Hartia asked, but was quick to follow suit.

"No time like the present," Azalie replied.

"You don't want to stay the night and leave tomorrow morning?" Majic asked the two Tower of Fangs sorcerers.

"There's lots to do," Azalie replied simply.

"Be safe then," Orphen said to them both.

"Keep us updated," Hartia said, "And we will try to be back as soon as we have some new information to go by. And Cleao?"

"Hmmm?" the blonde looked up at her friend.

"Don't go doing anything stupid. I didn't back you up just so you could go and get yourself hurt, you hear me?"

Cleao grinned and Hartia smiled back.

"Do tell Mrs. Everlasting and Tistiny we said bye and thank you," Hartia added to those that were staying behind.

"Will do," Orphen confirmed.

"I guess we'll be heading off then," Hartia said to the others as he followed Azalie out of the room. They would have to pack a few belongings, but would be leaving straight after that.

"See you when you get back!" Majic called after them, watching them leave. "So what now?" the apprentice added, turning back to his group.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to go to sleep," Cleao yawned for effect, then gingerly picked up Leki so as not to wake him. The Wolven cub shifted slightly in her arms, but remained sleeping. "I'll see if I can get in touch with Cela tonight, and let you know in the morning," she added before leaving the room as well.

"Guess it's just you and me, Master," Majic grinned at Orphen.

"You're on your own kid," Orphen replied, yawning to explain his reason for leaving, "Get some rest. If it's not too busy tomorrow, maybe we can squeeze in some practice. Or you can squeeze in some study."

Majic frowned at the thought of theory work, and it wasn't long before he was left by himself – Orphen having slipped out of the room quietly. _Maybe he's gone to see Cleao again_, Majic contemplated as he gathered himself up, deciding to hit the sack too. _Well, things didn't seem to weird between them after they came down for dinner, so it's either going really well or they've somehow managed to sweep it under the rug. Maybe I can ask Cleao tomorrow… _

With a yawn of his own, Majic trudged up the stairs and headed to the guest room he was staying in. He quietly closed the door behind him and started to get ready for bed.

Cleao gently lay Leki on the bed, happy that his slumber wasn't disturbed. She went to the bathroom and started to change into her sleepwear. Having already bathed earlier, she simply slipped into a lavender cotton camisole and added a bit of extra warmth and cover by donning her white satin robe she had in her wardrobe for the warmer nights.

She wasn't so sleepy that she'd fall asleep straight away after laying in bed, so she opted for the chair by the window instead. Cleao looked out of the drawn curtains and into the darkness outside that was lit by the speckles of stars in the night sky.

_You haven't been overly talkative recently, Cela, so I hope everything's ok on your end… if there is such a place…_ Cleao thought inwardly, wondering about the world Cela was in. Cleao had heard stories about the Heavenly Beings from Orphen and the others, but to actually be in contact with one was an entirely different matter.

_I thought the Heavenly Beings despised sorcerers…_ Cleao was slightly confused at that part, since now it seemed that they were working together. She'd have to ask Cela about that as well, if she remembered. _Hopefully she's around tomorrow_, Cleao thought, wanting to know more about all the connections and more about her role in it all.

Ever since Cela had helped her release a hidden power in herself, Cleao definitely felt different. There was something stirring within her and she wanted to understand what it was and where it came from. She also still felt the slightest connection to Jeremy, and while it would hopefully be useful in tracking him or talking to him, it wasn't something she wanted to be feeling for much longer.

Thinking of Jeremy, Cleao felt a bit sad. Yes, he may have been using her to get to Orphen but she wasn't blind or a robot. She felt the care that Jeremy was willing to extend to her. She knew he had wanted her by his side, but for some reason it changed and he had tried to kill her. That was another thing she wanted to understand, and partly the reason she wanted to speak to him face to face. Was it Eran? It had to be. And if it was, then she knew that there was a chance, if only a miniscule one, that she could change Jeremy's mind.

_But maybe I'm thinking too highly of myself…_ she thought in dismay, _Why on earth would he listen to me after I went back to Orphen?_ She quickly switched back to being optimistic, _I've got to at least try… If Orphen will let me, that is.._

At the thought of Orphen, her heart skipped a beat remembering the moment they had shared earlier that day. It still felt a bit surreal that their relationship had progressed to the next level, especially since it was something she had desired for what seemed like forever.

Cleao felt contentment in her heart and that made her smile. She got up quietly and made her way to Leki, who had stretched out across her bed. She smiled lovingly at her cub and stroked his sapphire fur gently. Leki gave a deep yawn in return and he blinked his eyes open slowly, still a bit dazed after coming out of a deep sleep.

"It's ok, Leki," Cleao whispered softly to the Wolven, "You stay here tonight ok? I'm going to go see Orphen, so don't worry about me. I'll see you in the morning, so go back to sleep.."

Leki blinked at her sleepily, then curled up into a ball and went promptly back to sleep. Cleao felt relief, and hoped that Leki wasn't so groggy from sleep that her message was lost. If it was, there may be a bit of extra drama in the morning. The young blonde giggled softly to herself as she left her room and headed to another.

After he had gone upstairs when Hartia and Azalie had left, Orphen had quickly gotten ready for bed. Although he could work through situations with little sleep, exhaustion would eventually catch up with him, so he was glad to have a bit of a break and get some much needed rest. He knew that the future was _not_ going to be filled with sunshine and rainbows – at least not anytime soon. So he was going to appreciate every little break he got, while he still had the chance.

The sorcerer was quick to fall asleep, but while it felt like he had been asleep for hours, he knew that it had probably only been about an hour since he had closed his eyes and drifted off. He had started to stir from his sleep when he heard the turn of his bedroom doorknob and the slight creak of the door as it opened slowly. Without having to be fully wake, he already knew who it was. Reluctantly, he knew what he had to do. Orphen pulled himself into an upright position and blinked at the darkness. Cleao's slender figure was silhouetted before him, though he could see the slight shine of her blonde locks in the ray of moonlight streaming into the room from his widnow.

"I thought we had fixed your sleepwalking problem…" Orphen mumbled groggily, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, readying himself to carry Cleao back to her room.

Cleao's indignant scoff was enough to wake Orphen up completely. "What makes you think I'm sleepwalking?" she asked crisply as she approached the bed.

Orphen's eyes focused immediately and he quickly scanned the room for the blue furball, "Where's Leki?"

"In my bedroom where I told him to stay."

Orphen relaxed considerably as he expelled a sigh of relief. The pup seriously caused him a lot of grief over Cleao and her sleeping habits.. and was also more than happy to comply with Cleao's wishes whenever she wanted to cause him grief just for the sake of it. "What the hell are you doing here then? Did something happen?" he asked with a bit of caution and suspicion.

Cleao stood before him now with a pout, "I can't come here just because?"

"Preferably not, if it means that I'll get blasted by your pup," Oprhen said flatly and brushed a hand through his dark hair, no longer sleepy.

Cleao sat on the bed beside him and he automatically scooted over. It was only then that he noticed what she was wearing – or what little she was wearing to be exact. Her satin robe wasn't much help either.

"I just wanted to come and be with you for a little while," Cleao replied softly and Orphen could hear the vulnerability she exposed saying those words.

He smiled to himself. Orphen was still getting used to the sudden change in their relationship, but he certainly wasn't unhappy about the new perks. For instance, in the past, whenever Cleao had come stumbling into his room during one of her numerous sleepwalking adventures, he had always had to put her back in her own bed. But this time, she could actually stay and it wouldn't be weird. Hopefully. It's not like he hadn't thought about it before, if he was being honest.

"Get under the covers before you catch a cold then," Orphen half-scolded, "And scoot over, I've got to fit in too." He laughed inwardly at how happy she was, bouncing into the bed and ducking under the covers. It was cute, though he'd never tell her that, for fear that her ego would explode.

Orphen quickly settled in beside Cleao and was amazed at how eagerly he welcomed the extra warmth that she provided. He turned to face her and pulled her close. Cleao slowly snuggled into his chest. Her hair was soft as it brushed his face and smelled of something fruity and floral – he never had been that great with the girly bath stuff Cleao loved to indulge in. But whatever it was, it smelled good.

Cleao let out a happy sigh, relishing the feeling of being enveloped in Orphen's strong arms. They felt even better than her imagination had led her to believe in the past.

"Leki won't be coming, so is it ok if I stay here tonight?" Cleao asked in a soft but hopeful voice, not moving from her spot in his arms.

Even if Leki did come, he wouldn't want Cleao to leave. So he tightened his grip around her and kissed the crown of her head gently in response to her question.

Cleao didn't think she was that sleepy – she definitely wasn't when she was in her room, so maybe it was the fact that she was so happy to just lie there and snuggle with Orphen. The warmth they shared definitely helped the feeling of sleepiness wash over her. She had actually wanted to talk about her meeting with Jeremy as well, but she couldn't form any coherent thoughts. She could just see happy colours behind her eyelids. Well, she was coherent enough to contemplate that she was either intoxicated from having too much Orphen in a way she never had before _or_ this is what happiness felt like – at least one form of happiness. Jeremy-talk would have to wait.

"I… love you.." Cleao mumbled, sleep nearly overcoming her.

"Ditto.." Orphen whispered back, eyes already closed.

It was the bright sunlight that had woken him up the following morning. At first, he was surprised and also a little worried that he had found Cleao in his bed, half expecting to be blasted at any moment. But that moment never came. Instead, a gentle calm and contentment had settled over him as he watched the beautiful girl next to him sleeping so peacefully.

Sure he had noticed her attractiveness before, but now he could really take it in. Watching her sleep this way, she almost looked angelic. It was ironic to know how different Cleao was when she was her usual fiery and troublesome self. What amused him even more was that she was his now, and he was hers. He definitely wasn't looking for love when he started his journey to save Azalie with Majic and Cleao all those years ago. But then again, love was unpredictable. Or so he was told.

He brushed a stray golden lock of Cleao's hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear tenderly. She stirred in her sleep with a little grumble that he found endearing, and watched as her cerulean eyes opened slowly.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Orphen greeted her in quiet tones, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

A smile formed on Cleao's pink supple lips, and she buried her head into his chest. "Five more minutes…" her muffled voice trailed off.

He chuckled at that. He'd let her have a little sleep in, but then they'd both have to face the day ahead. And he knew that sometime that day, Cleao would ask him about his decision regarding her meeting Jeremy.

When Cleao had first suggested it, he was immediately against it. And he still was. But at the same time, he had to acknowledge that there was some logic behind it. Even before Jeremy had changed Cleao, he had noticed that Jeremy had a true interest in her. Orphen had seen it in the way Jeremy had started to look at her. Thinking about it now, it made Orphen angry but it also brought back the feeling of loss that he felt when Cleao had nearly been out of his reach completely.

Realistically, the only way he would be comfortable with the idea is if he was with her for that particular meeting. But he knew that that would never be the case. So the next best option is to have Hartia there, in the shadows, making sure that Cleao wasn't harmed in the process. And he would tell Cleao that today. Then he would get Hartia to come back to look after her. Since he was also going to go to Alenhatan to see Steph as soon as he could to cover more ground. He'd have to tell Cleao that later as well, and she probably wasn't going to take it too well, since he had no intention of taking her with him.

As much as he would prefer to have her by his side so he could keep an eye on her, he wanted Cleao to spend as much time with her family as she could. They were always gone for so long when they went travelling, and this time around, the danger they were facing was too great to ignore. All he was going to do was update Steph, see if she could get any more information and then come back straight away to be with Cleao.

Feeling his resolve strengthen, he was about to wake up the sleeping blonde but was interrupted abruptly by the loud and incessant banging on his bedroom door. And a distressed Mariabella was on the other side.

"Orphen!" Mariabella exclaimed, the panic in her voice clear as her voice rose reaching an unnaturally high pitch, "Orphen, I'm coming in! Cleao's missing!"

The sorcerer didn't have time to react when his door burst open, and the older blonde of the two siblings stumbled in, worry written all over her face. He pushed himself up onto one elbow so that he wasn't lying flat anymore and looked at Cleao's sister.

"I went to wake her up, but she wasn't there! And no one's seen where she is," Mariabella continued in a hurry, tears in her eyes, "We have to go find her! What if she's in danger?!"

Orphen could feel the awkwardness of the situation start to weigh over him, but he was also relieved that Leki hadn't turned up to blame him for the distraught blonde in front of him. He was surprised that Mariabella hadn't noticed the sleeping bundle under his covers, and was even more surprised that all the yelling hadn't woken up Cleao. But he had a sneaking suspicion that Cleao was actually awake and was just making him suffer by not showing herself.

Confusion briefly crossed Mariabella's face as she wondered why Orphen wasn't reacting the way she had expected him to. And the Gifted One took that as his cue to resolve the issue.

"It's ok, your sister is here," he told her reassuringly, and then jabbed the form under the blanket with a pointed finger.

"Ow!" Cleao exclaimed as she bolted upright, her blue eyes clear as day and a petulant pout upon her face. "What was that for?"

"For not answering your sister when she came in looking for you," Orphen replied dryly and sat up against the headboard of the bed. Cleao had a mischievous smirk on her face.

"D-don't make me worry like that, Cleao," Mariabella reprimanded with a flushed face, feeling slightly embarrassed to see her little sister in bed with a man – a man she used to have a crush on, no less – and in such bare clothing too. "And don't let mother catch you, unless you want to explain to her when your wedding is."

It was true, their mother was a bit of a stickler for the old fashioned ways, but Cleao couldn't help but think Mariabella's reaction was hilarious, so all she did was poke her tongue out in reply. And her older sister smiled at that, as if to say she was happy that the two of them were finally together. Cleao grinned brightly and Orphen shook his head at the exchange, wondering what he had gotten himself into.

A second later, Mariabella was taking her leave and was slowly closing the door behind her, muttering to herself about how Leki's lack of concern suddenly made sense. The door closed and left the couple alone once more.

Orphen stretched himself back out onto the bed, happy to have their privacy again. "I wanted to talk to you, Cleao.." he trailed off, not sure which part of his plan to start with.

Cleao blinked her bright azure eyes at him expectantly as she gazed down at him from where she sat.

Orphen's eyes wandered down to Cleao's neck, then shoulders, where the strap of her camisole had fallen down. Her creamy skin was as perfect as ivory and all he could think of was pulling her to him. But he cleared his throat instead to try and disperse his distraction. "I understand why you want to speak to Jeremy," he continued, looking back into her eyes, "And I know that if I said no, you'd go and do it anyway."

Cleao half-smirked, knowing that it was true. She couldn't help being wired to be stubborn!

"So I've thought about it, and I'd prefer that you take Hartia with you. He can cloak himself in the shadows, so I at least know you have some form of protection in case things do go bad," Orphen finished, then watched for any sign of a disagreement on her part.

Cleao let that stew in her mind for a minute as she lay herself back down to join Orphen in bed, then decided to herself that she was getting a pretty good deal. And in this particular case, she would rather have Orphen's blessing than having to go and do things behind his back.

"Ok," she accepted his terms graciously, and smiled at him for emphasis.

"'Ok'?" Orphen's eyes narrowed suspiciously, wary that she might be up to something, which wouldn't be a surprise.

"Yep," Cleao confirmed brightly, "I know this is important to you. It's important to me too. So I don't want to screw anything up."

"That would be a first," Orphen teased with feigned astonishment.

Cleao's brows furrowed as she frowned to show her displeasure at such a comment, but her smile quickly returned – she was just too happy that she got to spend the night with Orphen, trouble free.

"There's one more thing," Orphen ventured uncertainly. He may have gotten through one obstacle, but this next one was just that little bit harder.

"Shoot," Cleao said encouragingly, and tied her golden locks up into a loose ponytail, using the hair tie she had around her wrist.

"I'm going to contact Hartia today to see how soon he can come back. And once he's here, I'm going to go visit Steph to give her an update and see if she can help with anything."

"And you want me to stay here while you're gone?" Cleao guessed the rest herself, which wasn't overly hard judging by the worried look on Orphen had adopted – as if Cleao was about to explode while they lay there face to face.

"I don't like that idea, but I'll deal," Cleao told him honestly, "You were generous enough with my idea, so I'm going to be mature and let you go to Alenhatan without making a fuss."

At this, Orphen cracked a smile and ruffled Cleao's golden hair with his rugged hand, messing up the ponytail she had done earlier, but she didn't care.

"Good girl," he murmured as his hand slid down to cup the side of her face. She saw the love he had for her in his smoldering auburn eyes and her heart swelled.

Orphen leaned in closer and Cleao could have sworn that her heart had stopped completely for a few seconds. His soft lips gently met hers in a chaste kiss and the world seemed to melt away. Cleao pulled herself closer to him, feeling the lust inside her build up as the passion they both felt deepened their kiss. She knew that if things continued the way they were going, their relationship would be heading into some serious territory. And as much as her heart and body craved that physical and emotional connection, she also felt that now wasn't the best time. Not with everything going on. So she pulled away for air.

She was a bit surprised that Orphen seemed disgruntled at the interruption, but she was ecstatic to know that he wanted her just as much as she wanted him.

"…_After _we get through this," Cleao breathed out as she got herself in check, and she was glad that Orphen had understood what she had meant.

"You're right," he agreed. Cleao wasn't like any of the other women he had been with in the past. When he woke up the next morning, he _wanted_ to wake up next to her. So after they had dealt with Eran and Jeremy, then they could have all the time in the world for just the two of them. But for now, they were both just going to have to enjoy the little moments they shared together.

That was the plan at least.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Please R&R. I appreciate the feedback and would like to hear from you :) Thanks!


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